


Pokémon Reset Bloodlines Sidestory - Tracey Interlude

by FoxBluereaver



Series: Pokémon Reset Bloodlines [68]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Adventure, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-10
Updated: 2019-01-10
Packaged: 2019-10-07 17:58:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17370707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FoxBluereaver/pseuds/FoxBluereaver
Summary: Spin-off of Pokémon Reset Bloodlines. Even the best artists aren't immune to doubts about their skills, and that also applies to Tracey Sketchit. To break through his artist's block, Tracey embarks on an errand for Professor Oak in New Tork City, hoping to find a solution to it, and finding much more on the way. Written by Viroro-kun. Knowledge of the main story is suggested, but not essential.





	Pokémon Reset Bloodlines Sidestory - Tracey Interlude

Pokémon Watchers were probably among the most underrated and misunderstood professions in the world. To an untrained eye, all they did was sit down and draw Pokémon, something anyone could feasibly do in full color with just a phone in that day and age. But Pokémon Watchers were so much more than that.

They learned everything they could of the Pokémon they depicted: their biology, their daily habits, their unique personalities and characteristics. They had all kinds of neat tricks to approach a Pokémon without being caught, simply observing them without interfering with their routines, and truly 'capture' them in a way no Poké Ball could.

The drawings were far more than simple scribbles, too: they were living snapshots of the essence of each and every Pokémon, a single instant that told the viewer everything they needed to know of _that_ Pokémon, be it the most unremarkable Rattata to the most elusive Mew. It was something hard to put into words or explain, but it was something every enthusiast knew at a glance. Among every profession out there, the Pokémon Watchers were truly the ones that understood Pokémon on a deeper level than most.

Thus, it wasn't surprising that Samuel Oak, one of the highest authorities on Pokémon on the whole planet, used to be one of the greatest Pokémon Watchers alive, something often glossed over by those focusing on his world-changing research and his time as one of the Legendary Trainers.

But Tracey Sketchit knew, and deeply respected him for that. The Professor had been his aim to match and surpass ever since his career as a Pokémon Watcher began, and being able to work alongside him on some of his research books was a dream come true.

It also meant the young man couldn't help but fidget nervously as the Professor went over all of his recent sketches, as the two sat in the living room of Oak's Laboratory. He couldn't help but keep his eyes glued to Oak as he studied every line, all while his Marill looked him over in concern.

"So," Tracey said, gulping as he rubbed his neck. "Do you think it could work?"

Oak didn't respond immediately as he continued to observe Tracey's work. And then, he gave a big smile and a nod to the artist. "Those are some of the finest drawings I've seen from you. Even better than the ones you made for my haiku collection last year."

Tracey could barely suppress his vibrant grin as he bowed his head down and passed the drawings to Marill, whom placed it back in his bag.

"Thank you, Professor Oak." He spied a glance back up, and saw a still smiling Oak give him a good-natured sigh.

"We've known each other for years by now. You can just call me Samuel."

Tracey frowned and shook his head right away. "I can't call someone so famous and ahead of me by name."

Oak grumbled again. It was far from the first time they had that discussion, and it probably won't have been the last, and they both knew that.

"Heh, as you wish." Oak shrugged. "That position as my assistant is still open, if you ever want to spend time together and learn a trick or two."

Tracey gave a quick smile at that; it was something that was thrown around rather often, ever since Tracey mentioned that becoming Oak's assistant was something of a childhood dream for him. Between helping Oak with some illustrations for his books and the occasional help in other matters, the prospect felt progressively more inviting the more Oak suggested it, to the point of already considering him a sort of honorary assistant at times. While Tracey was honored to see one of his idols hold him into such a high esteem, he still had to shake his head for the umpteenth time.

"I'd love to, really, but I'm not really able to right now." Tracey rubbed his arm and looked away, shame in his eyes.

Oak didn't seem too bothered as he reached for the young man and gave him a healthy pat on the back.

"I know," Oak turned serious again as he spied Tracey's now stored drawings. "Professor Ivy told me you were planning to apply for a contract with the Pokémon Association. I assume these are the works you want to present there?"

Tracey nodded back while giving Oak a sheepish grin and rubbing his neck. He averted his gaze as he remembered what was to come in a few days.

"If it goes well, I'd be in charge of drawing several posters for important events, be they League Conferences, Contests, Pokéathlon, maybe even Showcases. For a freelancer, that'd be a big step forward." His smile died as his mouth curled into a frown. "Though, I've heard the judges are pretty harsh."

Oak, instead, smiled once more as he folded his arms. "Just trust in yourself and do your best. I'm sure you'll pass with flying colors."

Tracey couldn't help but smile back. "Thanks, Professor," he said while catching another glance of his pictures, all the works he put his heart and soul into for the coming exam.

He really could make it. He just had to be sure of himself now.

* * *

 

"You call this a drawing?"

Tracey's confidence dropped sharply as he grimaced. His gaze wandered towards the walls of the anonymous white room they were in, and then towards the three judges ahead of him. They were two men and a woman, all chosen among the best artists working for the Pokémon Association: he was lucky enough to have Joon Chase and Lyn Wolfe, a famous impressionist artist and an expert of drawing Hoenn Pokémon, among his examiners.

And then there was the man right in front of him, with a bushy beard and a murderous gaze. Charles Embers, one of the oldest members of the Pokémon Association. And he was gripping the picture in his hands as if it was an insult towards art itself.

Tracey gulped as he observed the picture, a composition he had titled 'The Heart of Bug-types', featuring all the members of his favorite type one could find in the Johto region, bathed in the light of the sun and all shaded in a way that emphatized their key features while highlighting the harmony of the scene. It was a drawing he had spent more than ten hours to complete and reworked over and over before he was finally satisfied, and one of the works he was most proud of. He tried to look for imperfections, issues he could've reworked, maybe even justified, but it still looked just as good as usual.

Clutching his Marill close, Tracey gulped and looked straight at Embers. "Sir, I tried my best to capture the Bug-types here, it's from a seldom explored area and-"

"These are just bugs." The critic jabbed at the paper, his stare growing fiercer. "You tried to make them appear impressive with some second grade shading, and you didn't even pay attention to where the light was coming from. You just drew whatever you wanted without care for the composition, and you should _never_ draw smaller Pokémon alongside bigger ones."

Embers went on and on, pointing out every flaw: the way every Pokémon was drawn, their position in the general structure, even the way the water on the side didn't flow naturally, with similarly harsh critiques tossed around for every other picture Tracey brought. The Pokémon Watcher had his eyes glued to the paper as the critic continued to speak, every imperfection and mistake growing increasingly apparent with each second and harsh words. He instinctively held Marill tighter, while she observed her trainer in concern. As Embers continued to go on, even Chase and Wolfe appeared surprised by his intensity.

It all ended with Embers slamming the drawing on the desk and pushing it back to Tracey. He then shook his head, and his stare grew even colder. "In conclusion, these are very poor drawings. There's no depth or anything to take from this."

As Tracey's eyes went back to his pictures, he had nothing to say in response. He just remained there, blinking and motionless as silence fell on the room.

This only lasted until Chase coughed and grabbed everyone else's attention. After a quick perusal of Tracey's portfolio, he gazed back at the artist.

"Mr. Embers has a few points. These are all pretty basic drawings, and not what we're looking for currently."

Wolfe nodded as well, before she moved Tracey's drawings closer to him. "I'm sorry, Mr. Sketchit, but you don't seem to be the artist we're seeking. You're welcome to apply for another overview if you think to have improved, however."

Tracey continued to remain wordless as he glanced at his art once again. He then quickly scooped up his drawings in the bag, observed the judges, and forced a smile.

"Thank you," he said as he shook their hands one by one. He couldn't help but feel Embers' shake was far stronger and less cordial than the other two, but that was probably just his mind playing tricks on him.

And thus, he left the room with no further words, as another aspiring artist took his place and the door was slammed shut behind him. He then shook his head and strode towards the exit with Marill at his side, all while he grabbed his pictures, going through each of them slowly.

He didn't feel angry, sad, or anything of the sort at what happened. If anything, he felt empty. Just like all the stupid drawings he was holding.

He couldn't help but tighten his grip around them as he and Marill walked out of the building.

* * *

 

He didn't get to stay there often, but Tracey always enjoyed a chance to explore the large ranch of Professor Oak's Laboratory, and all the Pokémon living there. The fact that one of Oak's recent Pokédex Holders had managed to catch a large amount of new Pokémon didn't hurt, either, even if he didn't get the chance to meet any of them.

As he sat on a rock and observed a bunch of Grimer fight against a three-leeked Farfetch'd, Tracey held his pencil over an empty canvas, shifting between it and the image ahead. It was unusual, different, and something no one drew before for the most part.

When he placed the pencil over the paper, however, all the ispiration left. It was just a mass of white, and any way to start the drawing felt wrong. He needed to take into account the lightning above them, the way the light made every feature on the Pokémon's body pop, the way they moved, _anything_. The drawing had to be absolutely perfect.

After fifteen minutes of no progress and with the Grimer and the Farfetch'd walking away from him, Tracey held the pencil down in defeat and exhaled. He let his mind wander as he took in the grassy fields and the river flowing at his side, alongside the sun shining overhead. It was all extremely picturesque, and a boon for any artist searching for new inspiration.

Then, why wasn't it working for him?

"You look troubled," a voice said from behind him.

Startled, Tracey jumped on his feet and turned around. As he saw Oak's friendly face, his worry subsided and he shook his head. "It's nothing, Professor."

"If it really was nothing, you wouldn't have come here." Oak folded his arms and stared through Tracey. "It's due to Embers, right?"

Tracey's body stiffened. Even several weeks after the failed application, hearing that name brought him back to that room. His eyes instantly went back to the still-blank piece of paper as he remained wordless.

Oak sighed and looked the other way. "I've dealt with him before. He sometimes has good points, but most of the time he's just harsh to be harsh."

"He might be right, though." Fists balled, Tracey frowned back towards the paper. "I only _drew_ Pokémon so far, I didn't really try to capture them on paper. I thought a good drawing would've been enough to do so."

Oak looked over the paper himself, grabbing and analyzing it. Only then Tracey could notice several faint dots all over it, the only remnants of several drawing attempts.

The Professor shook his head as he gave it "I think a change of air could do you some good, staying here and mulling things over will lead you nowhere."

"Where for, though?"

"If you don't mind, I've got an idea." The Professor grinned, arms on his hips. "I need someone to get a package for me in New Tork City, in the Decolore Islands. I can give you the ticket if you want, and you'd be able to enjoy a short vacation."

Tracey flinched briefly at the offer. The Decolore Islands, a little paradise of scattered islands that formed a path connecting Kanto and Unova. Due to its size and area it found itself unable to form a League or any proper sort of central government, but the individual islands were well-known for their beautiful locales and interesting culture, even if it wasn't as liked as Alola or the Orange Archipelago. It was somewhere Tracey always had an interest in going, but never had a chance to.

And knowing this, Tracey shook his head vigorously. "I can't accept that."

"I insist. You'd actually free me time if you went in my place." Oak's stare matched Tracey's attempt at defiance.

Tracey attempted to voice back his opinion, only for Oak's stare to grow more intense. It wasn't one of the Professor's usual expressions, but he had known him enough to be aware he would've never accepted a 'no' as an answer at that point.

Thus, he sighed in defeat. "Alright Professor, I'll do it."

"That's good." Oak grinned, producing a ticket and placing it on Tracey's hands. "Make sure to visit Times Park and the Pokémon Hills while you're there."

Tracey thanked the Professor quickly as he looked over the ticket and lost himself in his thoughts. Who knew, maybe that trip would've really been what he was looking for.

* * *

 

As the sun shone brightly in the sky, Tracey and Marill took in the sea breeze from the bridge of the ship, enjoying the quiet day while they observed the scattered islands surrounding them. Twin smiles lit up their faces: from the sea, the Decolore Islands truly reminded him of his home, the Orange Islands. The ship was even helmed by a member of the Porter clan, an uncommon sight in the Orange Islands and other regions in general but the de facto only cruise ship tour guides in all of Decolore. The scenery around him really brought him back to simpler times, before any complications that come from adult life.

It felt like forever since he set up on his journey, with nothing but his sketchbook and a few scattered Poké Ball, and after several years of work he was now a very widely respected artist, especially after a chance meeting with Oak during a summit in Pummelo Island, where he was impressed enough with his work to introduce him to all of his coworkers, and most of them jumped at the chance to request his drawings for their books and research papers. It was something that Tracey was proud of, and for which he'd forever be grateful to the Kantonian Professor.

And yet his talents were not enough. How? Why? What did he lack? What did he have to improve on? After years of training, what did he need to learn to truly become a good Pokémon Watcher?

Tracey massaged his forehead and shook his head, banishing those thoughts away. That was no time to mull over his problems: Professor Oak had entrusted him with a task, and he couldn't let him down.

His eyes travelled back to the wrapped up package, completely anonymous and in a regular box, not any different from your usual delivery. Tracey would've probably said it was nothing special, if he didn't knew who the receiver was: the Oak Peace Foundation's headquarters in New Tork City, a no profit organization devoted to Oak's efforts into improving the world, with members of each branch handpicked by the Professor himself or someone close to him. The proceedings weren't spelled out and many debated what each member of the Foundation truly did, but the effects of Oak's research were widespread and noticeable enough that nobody really minded the secrecy. Don't look the gift Ponyta in the mouth, as the saying went.

Tracey couldn't deny to be curious to give a peek to what was contained inside, but he respected the Professor too much to do it. As such, he was determined to deliver it, no matter what would get in the way. At the very least, it would've kept his mind off his troubles for a little while.

Right then, Porter's voice rung from the speakers: "We'll reach New Tork City in about thirty minutes. I repeat, we'll reach New Tork City in about thirty minutes."

Tracey snapped out of his thoughts and shared a glance to his Marill, with the Water-type instantly jumping over Tracey's shoulder while he grabbed the package once again, before he caught another glance of New Tork City's skyline in the distance.

He gave the package a confident grin. He just needed to hand it out, and then he'd have all the time to work out his art issues. How hard could it be to find the Oak Peace Foundation, after all?

* * *

 

Tracey had underestimated how confusing New Tork City could be.

The city was known for several interesting locales, historical plazas, monuments and even restaurants, and most importantly a seemingly endless array of little paths and sidepaths which led nowhere and everywhere at once, like a convoluted and messy urban spider-web. It wasn't much different from Castelia City in that regard, one reason why the cities were often compared to each other. Unfortunately, Tracey never visited either New Tork nor Castelia, and as such he had absolutely no idea how to orient himself, especially with his map rendered nigh useless by the constant shift in avenues he was doing. He attempted to use Marill's senses to find their way out, but the crowded traffic and several other noises made that a fruitless effort. Thus, he and Marill had now spent more than two hours wandering through New Tork's seediest alleyways to no avail. Tracey let out a sigh as he gazed on, finding the latest dead end in a day full of them.

He glanced back at Marill, as she winced at the traffic sounds. "Well, let's try going back, alright?"

She gave a nod, and the twosome backtracked and took another split, finding themselves in another graffiti-covered and ruined brick-lined street. Compared to the majority of the sleek and shiny buildings of the main streets, these ones revealed a much more mundane and seedier side of the Decolorean metropolis, one that was probably not given as much attention as its shinier half, yet coexisted with it like two sides of the same coin: a shiny, immaculate front, and a much more shallow and much less appealing back.

Tracey grimaced, feeling a kinship for all the wrong ways. That was probably how he came across to others, after all: a 'perfect' artist with little to no actual skill. One that wasn't even able to find a solution to his artist's block. And how could he? He was the one that let it wither to that point instead of practicing it better. It was only appropriate for him to end up there.

Tracey groaned, trying to take those stupid thoughts out of his head. He was seriously letting those problems get to him again, and he really needed a distraction.

"Hey, you!"

And the distraction came.

Tracey and Marill grinded to a halt as they turned around, finding three lean and tattooed teens staring him over. They were all wearing matching grins, and tied to their necks were three blue bandit-like scarves. The trio all crossed their arms at once as they checked the Watcher and his Pokémon out. Tracey just blinked in response.

And then, the middle teen stepped ahead and crooked his hand at him. "Give us what you have, now."

Tracey was confused just for a second, before he remembered his backpack and the noticeable square-shaped bulge of Oak's package inside. He frowned, and then eyed the teens again, their grins now wider.

"Who are you?" He squinted his eyes, and his body tensed up. Marill glared at the hooligans in the meantime.

"We're the Blue Scarves, and we rule this place." The apparent leader sneered, before he produced a Poké Ball. "And whoever wanders there needs to show respect. And those who don't, well..."

He tossed it skyward, and down came a Scrafty, which wasted no time in flaunting himself and wearing a grin matching his trainer's. Tracey would've readied a defense, if the fact that the Blue Scraves' leader and his Scrafty were moving in perfect sync didn't mesmerize him, almost enough to pick up his sketchbook.

And then he barely held back from slapping his head. Priorities! He could think of art all he wanted _after_ he wasn't threatened anymore. And thus, he observed the Scrafty again, taking in every little detail: his posture was trained and rigid, but he could see very little in the way of cuts or bruises, and even his eyes didn't glow with the same fire of many members of his species. He was probably used more for intimidation than straight fighting; however, he still wore the same angry stare typical of his species, and he couldn't rule out that he could give them a hard time.

The moment Tracey tried to grab his other Poké Balls however, both leader and Scrafty fiercened their glares.

"Don't you think of pulling anything funny, or you'll regret it." The leader frowned, and his Scrafty cracked his fists with glee.

Tracey furrowed his brow as well. "We'll see about that."

The artist hesitated to grab his Poké Balls, but continued to study his opponents. The Blue Scarves and Scrafty did the same, as the time passed and no one made the first movement. And then-

"Stop right there, you jerks!"

Hearing that, everyone stopped and turned around, and they all saw a kid staring back at them. He was short and rather thin, wearing an oversized and ruined coat with sleeves way too long for him over some rather tattered shirt and pants with no shoes, alongside a worn-out newsboy cap over his head. He had messy black hair, pronounced bags around his scarlet eyes, and a pair of Z-marks on his cheeks. At his side stood a Trubbish, giving the closest thing to a death glare he could muster.

Tracey blinked and tilted his head in confusion, while the boy jabbed his finger at the Blue Scarves. "You aren't gonna steal from someone again!"

The Blue Scarves didn't appear intimidated. In fact, they just laughed off the threat as they shifted their attention to the boy.

"Look, the runt is showing his fangs." The leader paced forward, his grin even wider. "You're almost cute, you know. Why don't you go out and play? The adults are working here."

The boy didn't answer as he paced forward, going past Tracey with his Trubbish in tow, before they both took a battle stance. The Blue Scarves observed him with little interest, before the leader shrugged and grinned.

"Well, if you don't want to leave..." He pointed back at him. "Scrafty, deal with him! Headbutt!"

Scrafty ran forward, head down and ready to charge. Tracey would have sent Marill on to attack if the boy didn't raise an arm and gave him a smile. "Trubbish, slide and use Sludge Bomb!"

Trubbish dove for the floor and slid right between Scrafty's legs, aiming his head up and dousing him in Sludge Bomb. As Trubbish skidded to a halt, Scrafty was covered in poison and writhing in pain.

"Yes! Now, Venoshock!" the boy yelled while pumping his fists.

Trubbish jumped back on his feet and opened his mouth, and a stream of purple liquid impacted on the Scrafty. The boy jumped on his feet as he beamed. "Right! And now, this means the damage is doubled, because-"

Scrafty burst out of the poison stream, and Trubbish barely stumbled out of the way of another Headbutt. The kid was confused, even moreso when he noticed the distinct lack of purple tint on the Scrafty's skin.

He stepped back, eyes wide open. "Wait, he's not poisoned?"

"My Scrafty has Shed Skin, it heals almost instantly from status conditions. You don't even know that? What a loser." The leader chuckled, hands on his hips. "Scrafty, you choose what to do. Destroy him."

Scrafty gave a quick nod, then readied his head and charged into another Headbutt. The boy clenched his jaw, and gulped. "Trubbish, Sludge Bomb around you!"

The Poison-type twirled, and the poisonous ooze pooled around him. Boy and trashbag felt relieved, only to see Scrafty leap above, switching to a High-Jump Kick.

The boy grimaced, only for resolve to burn in his eyes. "Dive and use Secret Power!"

Trubbish rushed for the sludge, and his body glowed pink; mud formed on his limbs, and he fired the impromptu Mud Slap towards the falling Scrafty. The Fighting-type proved faster as he readjusted himself and dove headfirst, returning to the Headbutt as the mud flew overhead. Trubbish attempted to toss another Secret Power, only for Scrafty to meteor towards him before he could. Trubbish screamed in pain, and the Poison-type flew skyward.

"Trubbish!" the boy screamed as he rushed to grab his Pokémon, falling to the ground alongside him. He clutched the unconscious trashbag close, before he turned back to the Blue Scarves laughing at him alongside Scrafty.

"Not acting so tough anymore, huh?" The leader leaned closer, his smug grin mere inches from the boy's face. The kid replied with an angry scowl and bared teeth.

One of the grunts scratched his head. "I don't think he got the lesson, boss."

"Seems like he needs a refresher, then." The leader folded his arms. "Scrafty, kick them down!"

Scrafty grinned and cracked his fists, then lunged for another strike. The kid held his Trubbish close, and braced himself for the hit. Fortunately, a blade blocked Scrafty's punch, and another sent it sprawling to the ground.

As the boy looked back up in confusion, an elderly-looking Scyther stood proudly ahead of him, giving Scrafty and the Blue Scarves a rather cold glance. The two grunts stepped back in fear, while the leader clenched his fists.

"What?" Teeth bared, the leader searched around. "Who-"

The teen fell silent as the older Scyther glared back at him. He was soon joined by a Marill and a Venonat, and Tracey for last, arms crossed and forlorn gaze on his face. "It's not good to pick on kids, you know."

The kid didn't know what to say as he blinked back at Tracey. Meanwhile, the members of the gang seemed worried at Tracey's Pokémon. Well, everyone but the leader, whom only seemed annoyed at the turn.

"Do you think your half-dead Scyther scares us? We'll teach you!" The leader snarled and snapped his fingers. "Guys, help me!"

The grunts nodded in a hurry, and two Scraggy joined Scrafty on both sides. Just like their leader's Pokémon, the twin Scraggy appeared moderately trained, enough to be intimidating and cause some damage, but not enough to actually cause serious harm. As he observed his three Pokémon, a few battle strategies formed in his mind: battle never was his forte, but with some luck that would not be a problem, especially after spending the last few minutes analyzing them. In the meantime, the three teens sneered and laughed at him and his Pokémon.

"What? Too scared to move?" The leader raised his hand and grinned once more. "Good! End them, Scrafty!"

"What he said, Scraggy!" both grunts screamed in unison.

And thus, all three Fighting/Dark-types charged at once, head down and rushing towards Tracey's team, the Scraggy preparing their feet for a jump and Scrafty hanging his head down. He couldn't say to be surprised by that tactic.

After one last analysis of their movements, Tracey smiled and glanced over his Pokémon. "Cut! Water Gun! Tackle!"

All three nodded, and each of them went on the offensive: A Water Gun stopped the two Scraggy from leaping, giving time for Venonat to slide down with some help by Trubbish's poison, narrowly missing the Headbutts while delivering a harsh Tackle on their legs at the same time. The Scraggy writhed on the ground in pain, and Scrafty stopped in shock and worry. And that proved to be his downfall.

The elderly Scyther rushed ahead, blade ready to strike. The Scrafty jumped off his feet, neck raised just enough. He tried to High-Jump Kick out of the way, but Scyther proved faster.

A swift hit on the neck was enough to send a wave of pain over Scrafty, and the Fighting-type quickly fell down, unconscious. Everyone stared at the defeated Pokémon, while Scyther, Marill and Venonat all celebrated their flawless victory.

After several seconds of silence, the leader of the Blue Scarves stared blankly back at Tracey, sweat pouring down his face. "W-who the heck are you?"

"Just a passing-through Pokémon Watcher." Tracey's gaze turned sharp as he folded his arms. "Now, do I have to call the authorities, or...?"

Before Tracey could finish, the hoodlums ran away, Pokémon in their arms and fear on their faces. Tracey sighed in relief as they vanished from sight: knowing the best places to inflict Critical Hits from was one skill he was glad to have gained after studying several species to illustrate them, and considering his Scyther's age and his lack of coverage, that was really the only advantage he had.

He turned back to the boy and his Trubbish, offering them a hand. "How are you?"

The boy appeared starstruck for a few seconds, before he snapped out of it and rose back up without his help.

"I'm fine, don't worry." The boy beamed again, hands held high as he looked at Tracey's team. "But that was so cool! The Blue Scarves didn't even hit you! How can you be so strong?"

"I'm not that strong, really. It's just a little trick I picked up." The artist smiled sheepishly as he rubbed his neck. "My name is Tracey, by the way."

"I'm Minuetto, Minu for friends." The kid gave a short, respectful bow, and then he glanced around in mild worry. "A guy like you shouldn't stay in places like these. You have some money or stuff on you, thieves and beggars flock over like hungry Spearow."

"I've noticed." Tracey turned to his backpack, sighed, and went back to the boy. "Better deliver this soon, then. You don't happen to know where the Oak Peace Foundation's building is, right?"

Knowing his luck, Tracey was completely expecting a shrug and to be back to square one. That was why Minu's happy grin caught him by surprise.

"That weird place full of smart guys? Sure, follow me!" Minu said, thumping his chest.

Tracey tilted his head. "You know the way?"

"Of course, I've known New Tork's streets my whole life!" Minu allowed himself a smug grin, before he gestured ahead. "Come on, I'll give you a tour on the way!"

The boy and his Trubbish ran away, towards the other side of the street, all while continuing to wait for Tracey. The artist switched between looking after Minu, and back to his package. Considering the boy's 'thieves and beggars' remark, there was no real guarantee he wasn't also planning to pull any nasty tricks on him. However, Tracey was also an optimist at heart, and in the end, his goodwill prevailed as he started following Minuetto and his Trubbish out of the seedy side of New Tork City, back towards his destination.

* * *

 

Minuetto proved to be quite a lively guide throughout their short trip through the city, providing trivia like a chatterbox on every little thing: why a street had a particular name, who certain buildings were dedicated towards, history of architecture and many other bits of knowledge. It felt more like he had read and memorized several scattered bits of knowledged and tried to present them in a coherent fashion to mixed results, but the sheer enthusiasm he and his Trubbish were putting into explaining just made him fun to travel with. Tracey couldn't help but chuckle as Minu got on a rather lenghty and unprompted rant on why New Tork City's name had a specific historical significance and didn't sound stupid.

Tracey didn't even realize they were almost there until he and Minuetto found themselves right in front of a somewhat big, brown bricked building that didn't particularly stand out among the sea of such buildings throughout the city if it weren't for the sign reading 'Oak Peace Foundation - Decolore Islands Branch', probably in keeping with Professor Oak's idea that they were just doing what was needed and didn't require further honoring, or something like that. Tracey should've probably asked him if that was the case eventually. Like he did for the whole tour, Minu ran ahead of Tracey and flapped his sleeve towards it, with Trubbish mirroring him.

"And here it is! The place where every egghead of New Tork tries to show how smart they are, saving the world and other stuff. Also the place where most trainers get their licenses here in the Decolore Islands, but that's not important for you I think."

He could hear Minu's voice trail down just a bit towards the end, but the boy beamed another cheerful smile right after. Tracey observed the building ahead for a few seconds before he nodded Minu's way. "You're a natural guide, for sure."

Minu seemed to blush as he rubbed his neck and gave Tracey a sheepish grin. "One has to gain something, and that's the best way there is for me."

And there, his smile faltered again. It didn't take long for Minu to return as energetic as he'd been, but the brief mood shift was noticeable enough to give him pause, especially when he noticed the boy stepping away from the building ever so slightly. Tracey kept the desire to ask him about that when he was worried about, but instead, he turned back to the building and gave him another smile. "Do you mind coming in too?"

Minu paused and blinked back, then stared at his feet, considering Tracey's question. Then, he gave him a curt nod. "Sure."

And thus Tracey, Minuetto and their Pokémon stepped inside the building together, revealing a large and busy room divided in two floors filled with complex machinery, experiments, and people in labcoats discussing with each other and the occasional trainer scattered about, not unlike the average Pokémon Professor's Laboratory in any of the Trainer Nations. Minu seemed to hesitate at first and measured his steps while he held Trubbish close, but Tracey could clearly see the mirth in his eyes as he shifted between each of the many machines and computers surrounding them, trying to not disturb or cause any problem for all the people working. Tracey couldn't really blame him, given he had reacted the same way during his first visits at Professor Ivy and then Oak's Laboratories.

As Minu continued to glance over instruments and people with a somewhat forlorn look, Tracey paced through the room, searching for someone to give the package to in the sea of white labcoats ahead of him, Marill keeping vigil on his shoulder.

"Mr. Sketchit, I presume?"

Tracey and Marill turned around, and found a man with brown hair, a pair of round glasses and a clipboard approaching them with little surprise. Tracey nodded, and the man offered him a hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Professor Orchid, the head of this branch of the Oak Peace Foundation."

"My pleasure." Tracey accepted the handshake, then opened his backpack and produced the box. "Here, this is what the Professor sent."

The man gladly took it and called a colleague of his, giving him a few directions before he left with the prized box. Tracey let out a relieved sigh at the completed endeavor, while Orchid turned back at him, adjusting his glasses.

"Thanks for the delivery, this will be extremely important." He gave a broad glance behind Tracey, then focused back on the Pokémon Watcher. "I assume this is your first time here."

"Yeah, I never got a chance to visit the Decolore Islands."

"I could tell." Orchid furrowed his brow. "You're the one who let him enter?"

Tracey blinked at the question, at least until he noticed Orchid continuing to gaze just behind him. As he and Marill faced the same way, they could see Minuetto standing on the tip of his toes, trying to look over a trainer having his Magby examined, earning several confused and annoyed looks from everyone, and quite a few pinched noses. The confusion cleared, Tracey went back to Orchid.

"Yes, why?" Tracey asked. Orchid grumbled and rubbed his forehead in response.

"Figures." Orchid folded his arms, and his stare grew fiercer. "You must know that hobos and little criminals aren't tolerated here. Have him leave now."

Tracey tilted his head, then went back to observe Minu and the area around him: he was mostly staying in place and minding his own business, and there was no sign that he broke or ruined anything on the way. He seemed a bit uncomfortable even if still curious, but most of the hostility seemed to be towards Minu, and not caused by him.

He shook his head back to the Professor. "He hasn't done anything bad so far."

"For now." Orchid's glare narrowed as he took in every movement Minu made. "We can't allow kids like him to mess with our research or try to steal it. It's all for the good of humanity, after all."

Tracey raised an eyebrow. "Why would he want to steal it?"

"You've got no idea what a poor person would do for a quick buck and how many corporations would like to know what we do. I don't trust him not to ruin the lifelong work of Professor Oak to make our world less dangerous, not with how many criminals this city has."

Tracey scratched his head, then faced Minu once more. Even with how little he knew the boy, the kid who smiled and looked over in childish glee as a Magby was finally given to his trainer didn't give off the impression of an industrial spy or anything of the sort. He went back to Orchid once more, and matched his stare. "Excuse me, but I feel you're being ridiculous."

"Better be safe than sorry, especially with the Blue Scarves and other punks acting like they own the city. I've seen this kid constantly hound the place and look to get a trainer's license: I've got no idea what he wants to do, but it can't be anything good. People like him are born garbage, and they'll always remain garbage."

Tracey didn't know what to say, and in all honestly didn't even want to know if he wanted to reply. He didn't know what kind of experience he had with Minuetto, Blue Scarves or whoever else, but he didn't need to know either of them to know who to side with, especially as some of his words rung way closer than they should have. Thus, Tracey clenched his fists and turned away.

"Well, think what you want." He walked past him, with nary a wave or salute. "See you, Mr. Orchid."

Orchid didn't say anything in return, and Tracey will somewhat glad for that even as he felt every other scientist's eyes on him. He sent a quick glance to Minu and the boy didn't waste time to follow him, and artist and street urchin left the building with several mean looks in tow.

As the duo put more distance from the building and enjoyed the calm breeze of that day, Minu sighed and faced away from Tracey, still holding Trubbish close.

"I've heard what went on." Minu held his head down, rubbing his neck with unease. "I apologize if he got angry at you, it's my fault."

Tracey shook his head. "It's not your fault if the guy was a jerk."

"He wasn't that wrong. I'm garbage, after all."

Tracey didn't know what shocked him more, the fact that Minu admitted to that, or the bitter and resigned smile he wore as he did so.

Minuetto himself didn't linger on that, pulling up his usual grin as he walked towards an intersections, arms raised and Trubbish back on the ground as he slipped back in his guide role.

"Here, if you're looking for the main avenue, that's this way, if you're interested in visiting the Pokémon Hills, that's the way, be careful of the local Sableye though, he's a jerk." Minu muttered something under his breath, only for his sad smile to return as he waved at Tracey. "And that's all you need to know. You won't have any more troubles with me around, I promise."

And with that, Minu walked away without further words. Unfortunately for him, Tracey wasn't going to let him do it, not before he understood at least.

"Hey, wait."

Minu froze, then crooked an eyebrow at Tracey. "What?"

"Well, I wanted to thank you for your help. Is there anything I can do for you?" Tracey folded his arms, giving Minuetto a serious look.

Minu widened his eyes, before quickly shaking his head and gulping away. He seemed to go back and forth between Tracey and the road for quite a while, before he grimaced and rubbed his neck.

"Don't worry, really, I don't need anything right now." He shook his head again, a bit too many times. "Absolutely nothing."

Tracey continued to stare at Minu, more specifically at the way he was avoiding to look at him, nervously playing with his sleeves, and generally trying to act like nothing was wrong. It was clear that something happened with Orchid and that laboratory, and whatever it was it was hung heavily on Minu. He was curious, but more than anything, he wanted to know how to help him.

And then Minuetto's stomach growled, and he and Trubbish blushed at once while forcing a nervous laugh. Tracey's smile widened, and he understood what he could do.

* * *

 

Tracey was pretty glad to have had enough money to order a table for two at the nearby restaurant. Sure, everyone's eyes were on him and Minuetto as the boy wolfed down his plate alongside Trubbish with little to no attention to manners or using silverware instead of his hands, but the relieved and pleased way Minu and Trubbish beamed and rubbed their much more rotund bellies made every angry rant by the staff and personal embarassment worth it, even moreso after noticing how _really_ skinny Minuetto and his Pokémon were. Tracey just sighed in relief and went back to his soup, while Minu was decent enough to cover his mouth before he burped.

"Whew, this was great..." He stretched himself and gave a nice slap over his belly, while he slouched over the chair. Everyone's commentary spiked up at that.

Tracey tried to ignore it as he rubbed his neck. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

Minu smiled back, only for his eyes to flicker back towards the several plates piled up at his side, with nary a scrap of food remaining. He had already eaten the equivalent of a ten-people dinner, and he still didn't seem ready to stop ordering. He gulped, and turned back to Tracey with a grimace and his head low.

"I'm sorry for costing you so much." He joined his hands together and stared at Tracey with pleading eyes. "If there's anything I can do to repay you, please tell me. Anything!"

"Hey, hey, calm down. I wanted to offer it to you as thanks. It's all on me, don't worry," Tracey said with arms raised. Sure, it was a bit taxing for his budget, but it wasn't something that would bring him bankrupt or anything like that.

Minuetto just froze and gave Tracey a blank stare, mouth agape. The Pokémon Watcher didn't know what to say, and when he tried to ask, Minuetto sobbed, the sobs grew into tremors, and tears streamed down the boy's face. Tracey and Trubbish both jumped on their feet, but the boy raised his hands, shaking his head and forcing one of the most insincere grins Tracey had ever seen, body still shaking and face frozen between shame and sadness.

"S-sorry, it's just... I'm not used to all of this." He passed a sleeve over his eyes, trying to bite back the sobs. "Thanks, really. F-for everything."

Yet again, Tracey was speechless. What kind of life did that boy lead if common courtesy reduced him that way? Tracey knew there were probably more tactful ways to approach the subject, but he didn't have the time or the desire to beat around the bush. The boy needed help, and if he wasn't going to ask for it he had no other option.

"You called yourself garbage. Why?" He inched closer, offering Minu a clean handkerkief. The boy took it, and wiped away his tears.

"Look at me. What else can I be?" He raised the sleeve of his worn out coat, showing off the barely held together clothes he wore. "I've grown up in these streets and had to do anything to survive. And for everyone, I've always been garbage that's better ignored or hidden."

"But why? You don't seem too bad."

He could see Minuetto's face brighten up just a bit, before he shook his head and turned back to the ground. "I dunno for sure. Maybe it's how I look, maybe it's the Blue Scarves annoying people, maybe something else... but people just don't want a smelly, stupid homeless weakling around them. I can't really blame them for it."

He gulped down a few other sobs, pressing the handkerkief on his face and blowing his nose. After a few seconds, he took a deep breath and mustered courage to continue.

"I... I just want to get along with people, you know? That's why I like to give tours, to explain people what's good of New Tork City... I like to explore, to meet new people, to have fun. And so does Trubbish."

"You want to become a trainer, right?" Tracey folded his arms as his gaze turned serious. The pieces were starting to fall in place.

Minuetto nodded, his eyes going back to the window at their side, overlooking one of New Tork's many busy streets. His face grew sunnier as he played with his sleeves. "I'd like to. Here in New Tork you see people from all around the world, and I keep hearing of all these other cities and regions. Lumiose, Cinnabar, Hau'oli, Olivine, Sootopolis, Hearthome, Driftveil... And of course, the Pokémon League of many of these regions."

"I saw that look many times." Tracey smiled again, hands on his hips. "You want to be a Pokémon Master, right?"

"Maybe 'Master' is stretching it... I'd be fine being not garbage, having fun, prove everyone that me and Trubbish are really good fighters." Minu's hand moved absentmindedly over Trubbish's head. "But that will never happen. I can't get money to pay the entrance fee for the exam, and Orchid doesn't like me. Plus, I'm still fourteen... no way anyone would give me a reccomendation for a provisional license."

His hand grew heavier, and his free one balled into a fist. "Plus, everyone always told me I suck anyway. You saw how I did with the Blue Scarves."

"I did. You were actually pretty good."

Both Minu and Trubbish snapped back to attention, eyes wide. They only grew wider as they met Tracey's honest look, with Minu blinking several times before he shook his head. "B-but, I lost. You did much better than me."

"Winning and losing doesn't matter so much as how you do it. You have the skills and smarts, you just need a bit more experience." Tracey's smile only grew wider.

"How?" Minu tilted his head, his eyes scurrying over the floor. "No one ever said this to me..."

Tracey's heart sunk just a little as he recognized what Minu was going through. It wasn't a feeling he was personally familiar with, but he had been in a bad funk enough times to tell when someone was clearly hurting inside. He really couldn't afford to leave that boy as he was right now. And then, the right idea popped up in his head. He did still have a few days to stay in New Tork, after all...

He adjusted his posture and inched closer again. "You know what? I can teach you how I defeated these guys so easily. Maybe it can help you."

Minu jumped up in surprise, eyes wide once more. "You would?"

"Sure. And free of charge!"

Minu and Trubbish observed him like he came from a different planet, and it was their turn to be speechless. And then, Minu frowned at Tracey.

"You're weird." He had a hint of a giggle, but the boy still shook his head. "But I can't accept. You're being too nice, and... I don't feel good when I don't earn things. I don't like to beg or ask for people's pity."

"There's nothing wrong with asking for help."

Minu grew more serious as he met Tracey's sunny disposition once more, he seemed ready to dismiss him again, until he folded his arms in thought.

"What about a deal. You're a Watcher, right? I can help you find the most scenic and cool places of New Tork to get some inspiration for each lesson you give me. What do you think?"

Tracey nodded in response. "Sounds pretty good to me."

"Alright then, deal!" Minu offered a sleeve and a brief but warm smile. "Don't worry, I'll give you the best scenery one can ask for!"

Happy to see Minu's tenseness melt away, Tracey accepted the handshake, and their partnership was officially born.

* * *

 

Tracey spent a few seconds contemplating the area: Minuetto had found a small hill on the periphery of New Tork City, where the sleek buildings of the city made way for the barely tamed wilderness of the rest of the island. They were surrounded by greenery right next to an asphalt road leading somewhere Tracey couldn't see, with quite a few flowers scattered around, the kind of bucolic beauty that was elegant in its simplicity. He and Minu were currently standing a few feet away from the boy and his Trubbish on a patch of grass that looked much less well-kept and protected than any other part of the surrounding area, implying they weren't the first to use it as an impromptu training spot.

Tracey smiled and folded his arms as he stared back at Minu. "So, what'd you like to start with?"

"Well, I really loved how you defeated the Blue Scarves." Minu rubbed his neck, giving Tracey a sheepish glance. "How did you do it, exactly?"

"It's simple, really. It's all about observation." Tracey held his finger up. "First of all, you need to know how to go for Critical Hits."

Minu tilted his head. "What's that?"

"All Pokémon have specific spots on their bodies that are far more sensitive to damage than the rest, be it for vestigial weaknesses, general species biology, or simply something specific to that Pokémon. Point is, if you can identify them, the hit would be able to inflict massive damage in little time. Just a couple of Critical Hits can completely flip over the outcome of any battle."

The boy listened with great attention, mouth gaping as he appeared to mull over Tracey's brief explanation.

"That sounds awesome." Minu turned serious, putting a step forward. "How do you do that? What's the trick?"

Tracey gave another grin as he put his hands on the hips. "There's not an actual rule, beyond paying attention: maybe it's a part of their body the Pokémon go out of their way to protect, or maybe it's one that causes them to land attacks on awkward angles, or anything else. The point is, they _are_ noticeable, and if you're able to find them, you can use them to your advantage. It's not easy and requires plenty of guesswork at first, but it's incredibly rewarding."

As the second part of the explanation ended, Minuetto and Trubbish turned to each other with matching and excited grins, then they turned to the Pokémon Watcher and nodded at once. "Got it. What about the 'dodge everything' part?"

"That's a bit more complex but also easier to use. And again, it all comes down to observing your opponent." Tracey's eyes wandered over Trubbish's form as he spoke. "Just like with Critical Hits, every Pokémon has specific tells before they execute a move. While like the Critical Hits these tend to vary depending on the Pokémon, the majority of trainers rarely manages to break through the four move limit, which means you'd just need to have a keen eye and study how your move charges it. A lot of Pokémon start attacks the same way as well, so learning a specific pattern can be extremely helpful, like how a Protect is raised."

Minu nodded along again. "So, I just need to look at what the other Pokémon does, right?"

"That's right. The hard part is doing it in the heat of battle, where you need to keep track of several different things." Tracey's lips curled up into a grin as he palmed one of his Poké Balls. "We can do some practice about this, if you'd like."

"Of course!" Minu grinned back, fists pumped as Trubbish took a battle stance.

Tracey smiled even more as he tossed the Poké Ball. "Alright. Go, Scyther!"

His proud Bug-type emerged right away, scythes folded as he stared down Minu and Trubbish, the boy and his partner frozen in place under the old warrior's scrutiny.

Tracey's smile softened some, as if to calm the two. "Scyther will constantly try to attack you now, and you'll just have to dodge and hit back. For the moment, don't try to win: just focus on finding a Critical Hit spot. Take it easy and don't worry if you don't make it."

Minu's eyes lingered over Scyther for abrief while longer before he clenched his fists, staring onward with determination while Trubbish's fighting stance grew more confident. Tracey nodded in approval, and traded a glance with Scyther.

Then, Tracey pointed his palm ahead. "Attack, now!"

Scyther sprung forward with surprising limber for his age; Trubbish and Minu both faltered, but keep their footing even as Scyther's blades shimmered with Cut.

"Trubbish, use Pound!" Minu yelled, punching onward.

The Poison-type leapt up, only for Scyther to duck and slice upward at Trubbish. The trash bag tumbled over the ground, groaning in pain.

"Trubbish, are you alright?" Minu asked, gulping.

His partner rose back up and gave him an affirmative grunt. Minu sighed in relief, then squinted back at Scyther. He grinned again. "Good, let's try again! Pound!"

Trubbish took another leap, aiming straight at Scyther as the Bug-type lunged back. Twin scythes shielded the attack, and with a twofold Slash he knocked Trubbish back.

The Poison-type jumped back on its feet right away, determination shining in his eyes.

"Again, Trubbish!" Minu shouted.

And thus, Trubbish launched himself against Scyther once more, always aiming at the Bug-type only to be blown back. Minuetto and Trubbish didn't desist however, as the boy continued to order a Pound and Trubbish executed it post-haste, getting slightly better at dodging the Slashes with each attempt.

Tracey continued to observe Trubbish's attempts as Scyther swatted, parried and dodged any assault, age doing nothing to slow him down. The puny Poison-type didn't seem ready to give up anytime soon, as Minu ordered the same command over and over. He was at a loss of what they wanted to accomplish: were they trying to force Scyther into a pattern? Were they just trying to brute force their way through? It didn't make much sense, considering their training was about observation-

And then, a Pound almost hit Scyther on the shoulder. Scyther snapped to attention and swatted Trubbish away before he could hit, then patted at it instinctively. Tracey widened his eyes, and understood.

His Scyther had a small, painful wound on his right shoulder from the beating it took back in Murcott Island, where he met and caught him. It never really healed correctly, and it still caused his right scythe to send slightly weaker attacks, while hurting plenty if aimed at. And Minuetto had managed to figure that out after a few Pound attempts.

Tracey focused back on the battle and saw Scyther still manhandling Trubbish with ease, even now that Minu and his partner moved to Sludge Bomb and other offensive moves in their arsenal and their dodging improved with each roundof battle. They still weren't too successful in actually hitting it, but at the very least they had potential in discovering Critical Hits now.

A smile lit up Tracey's face. Those would be some very interesting days...

* * *

 

Tracey couldn't help but take a breath as he walked through the green path they were walking on, with many Pokémon from several different regions all running around in absolute freedom. At their side stood a huge lake, and right in the middle of it through was a domed hill, with three giant solar panels and several layers of metal paths and pillars surrounding it. Ahead of him, Minu had just finished bickering with the local Sableye and glaring at him before he resumed his ever chipper running commentary.

"And here we are, welcome to the Pokémon Hills, New Tork's pride and joy! A natural reserve and park in one where several different species of Pokémon live together in perfect harmony, with little to no supervision needed, and with several environments depending on the species at hand. I'd go into more specifics, but Eric could probably do that better than me since he runs the place. There are also flowers from all over the world around here, just check those Panna Lotuses!"

As Minu continued to explain and point at everywhere in between the occasional Sableye bickering, Tracey gave a look at the surroundings once more: even with the huge and elaborated metallic structures in clear display next to them, it was hard to believe that the rest of the park was artificial and not natural, the way nature had been mostly preserved and Pokémon were free to roam around. It was hard to believe that said place was right in the middle of one of the most modernized cities of the Decolore Islands.

The more he saw the surrounding areas and followed Minu's running commentary, the more his hands went instinctively for his sketchbook and pencil, the itch to draw too strong to ignore. His eyes then caught a Feraligatr enjoying the water of a lake, and he smiled while placing the pencil on the page.

And then, as he stared at the blank canvas, his smile disappeared. What could he start with? The body of the Feraligatr? The border of the lake? The water of the lake? What did he actually want to convey? What was the most striking element of it all he wanted to highlight?

More and more questions piled in, until Tracey shook his head and tried to keep most of them at bay. It was only then that he realized the Feraligatr was gone now. Tracey just sighed and turned the other way.

It was then that Minu interrupted himself, him and Trubbish sending worried glances at the older man.

"Am I annoying you? I can stop if you want," Minu said as he glanced down.

Tracey was quick to rise his arms and shake his head.

"No, no, it's not you, don't worry." Tracey grimaced as his eyes went back to the lake and the few Pokémon bathing there, the Feraligatr nowhere to be seen. "Just some stuff."

Minu didn't say anything at that, at least until he noticed Tracey's sketchbook. And then, all the worry was swiftly replaced by childlike curiosity.

"Oh, right, you must've tried to draw something! Can I see it?" he asked, walking closer to Tracey.

The artist's glance went back to his sketchbook: it was a recent one, but it held several drawings already, from detailed portraits of wild Pokémon from remote locations to the half-made sketches that he couldn't get to finish recently. He was almost tempted to say no and stash the drawings away, but as he stared into Minu's bright red eyes, he couldn't really bring himself to do it. Thus, Tracey sighed and gave the sketchbook to the boy, which peered through each drawing as quickly as he could, marveling at almost every page while Trubbish jumped on his shoulder to check it as well. Tracey's cheeks flushed just a bit redder, feeling rather embarassed as the boy and his Poison-type continued to study his work.

"You draw so well," Minu said with a big smile, before he skimmed through the half-made and haphazard drawings on the last few pages. "Why are the last ones like that, though?"

Tracey rubbed his shoulder and turned away to hide his grimace. "I'm really not sure I'm so good, that's why."

"You wanna talk about it? I'm good at listening, you know." Minu folded his arms and tilted his head.

Tracey felt a tinge of guilt at the offer, considering what the boy was going through. As he stared at Minuetto's gaze, however, he could see the curiosity and desire to help inside his young friend. He gulped and took a deep breath, and then took the kid's offer. He told him everything that happened, from how he wanted to become an official illustrator for the Pokémon Association, his meeting with Embers, and what it led to, always feeling way too petulant. Minu didn't seem willing to judge him however, by how he and Trubbish listened intently without a word.

"And that's all." Tracey took another breath as he concluded, then gave a sheepish grin. "It probably sounds like I'm overreacting, I assume."

To his surprise, Minu shook his head and smiled back.

"Nah, I understand, really." He frowned and turned the other way, "Some old guy says you're worth nothing and you really believe it, right?"

"More or less."

"I feel this way too, way too often. And maybe they're right." Minu clenched his fists and gulped those thoughts away, before his gaze sharpened. "But that's why I gotta say, you're good, and you shouldn't let others say you suck. This Embers guy sounds like a stick in the butt, anyway."

"He's still a highly respected artist that earned his position through his hard work-"

"He could be the King of Kalos for me, and he'd _still_ be a stick in the mud." They boy grumbled to himself, before he put his hands behind his neck and stared back at Tracey in thought. "Thing is, even if he's right... are you really gonna let this define you? I'm no artist, but I think your drawings are really good. Even when everyone tells me I'm a bad trainer and garbage, even if I probably very much am... I still have this fire in me, you know? One that tells me to stand back up and fight, prove everyone wrong, and be the best trainer I can be. Don't you have something like that too?"

While Tracey would've liked to reassure Minu that he wasn't as bad as he thought, he mulled over his question first. He did feel a heavy itch to draw, even now, and he always strived to do his best no matter second thoughts and some harsh critiques.

"I do," he said while nodding at the boy.

Minu beamed, rising a fist at the sky. "Then let that fire out! Draw! Enjoy what you do! Make a kickass picture and shove it on Embers' face, don't let that old fogey step all over you!"

Tracey couldn't help but chuckle at the kid's enthusiasm, moreso when his grin shined with a confidence he rarely saw on his face.

"You're quite the motivator when you get to it," the artist said as he mustered a smile.

The boy's smile widened at that. "Really?"

"Don't sell yourself short."

Minu didn't know what to say as he blushed back, barely hiding a happy snickering. Tracey only gave him one last grin before he turned back to the lake, where several Lotad, Wooper and Surskit were now swimming and floating peacefully. He felt a tug at his arm, and Minu gave back the sketchbook while tilting his head to the Water-types.

Tracey twirled his pencil between his fingers as he observed the Pokémon and the blank page intermittently, all his doubts creeping back in. He took them in stride and he exhaled however, kneeling closer to the water's surface and observing his subjects' shapes and features and sketching them on the page. Maybe the result wouldn't be the best ever, but Minu was right: he couldn't keep Embers words stop him from doing what he loved the most in the whole world.

And thus, Tracey continued to draw, under the diligent and interested glances of Minu and his Trubbish.

* * *

 

As the days passed, Minuetto and Trubbish's observation and fighting skills continued to improve: they were by no means perfect, but they could figure out a patterm with enough time, and Trubbish's moves were also adapting more to their fighting style. Thus, Tracey decided to take a step further and start testing Minu's skills on a real battle. He wasn't the best trainer around by any means, but he could make sure to pass on a trick or two to the boy.

And so they were back on their little hill on New Tork's outskirts, trying to defeat the other at their best.

"Keep going, Scyther! Use Slash!" Tracey said, sweeping his hand through the air.

Scyther grunted an affirmative and leapt towards Trubbish, startling Minu out of his focus.

He gulped and pointed ahead. "Acid Spray-"

Before Trubbish could open his mouth Scyther was on him; he swiped his scythe down and sent Trubbish tumbling over the ruined grass.

"Trubbish!" Minu grimaced while Trubbish stood again on shaky feet. The boy started to switch between his Pokémon and Scyther, as if unsure on what to do.

Tracey didn't let up as Minu continued to gaze all over. "Skull Bash!"

"Try to-"

Minu winced as Scyther proved again too fast, charging with his head down and a golden aura around him; Trubbish tried to leap out of the way, only for the Skull Bash to nail him on a nearby rock. Scyther squealed in pain, and Minu went wide-eyed.

Tracey quirked an eyebrow at Minu's reaction, but quickly turned back to his Pokémon. "Scyther, use-"

"Pound!" Minu snapped, fists balled.

Trubbish managed to break free of Scyther's grasp and lunged towards his shoulder. Scyther rolled to the side and swatted the Poison-type away with ease, knocking Trubbish back on the rock.

Tracey would've ordered another attack if he didn't spot Minu's pale face, sweat pouring down as he stared over Trubbish at an utter loss of what to do.

The artist quickly faced his Bug-type again, making a 'T' with his hands. "Scyther, time out! Let's take a break."

Scyther was quick to stop, standing proudly with his scythes folded. Minuetto didn't say a word as he walked over to pick Trubbish up, observing his injured friend deep in thought.

Tracey didn't waste time to walk closer to him, observing with concern. "What's on your mind? You seem unfocused."

"I didn't know what to do." Minu gulped, facing away. "I was trying to focus on the Critical Hits but then you attacked so I needed to dodge, but to dodge I needed to figure the pattern of your moves and and-"

"Hey, calm down, breathe!" Tracey said, palms raised.

Minu did breathe, but it didn't appear to help much. He hugged his partner Pokémon as he frowned and shook his head.

"It's all so complicated..." He exhaled and turned back to Tracey, shame all over his face. "Sorry."

Tracey couldn't help but reimain silent as Minu continued to stare at him, no words coming at him as the boy looked back down. The Watcher couldn't help but sigh and shake his head, before placing a hand over his shoulder. "Don't apologize. It's my fault for being a bad teacher."

"No, you aren't!" Minu snapped at him, throwing his arms up as Trubbish jumped down. "You're very kind and helpful! It's all my fault for not being as good as you!"

As he saw Minu's guilty stare, Tracey shook his head and sighed. He kneeled at the boy's height and gave him a supportive smile.

"See, I'm not really a battler. I tried a couple of times, but my Pokémon just aren't made for big matches." He then tapped his forehead. "My observation skills are due to how much time I spent studying Pokémon in the wild, and it's something I picked up with time. It's not something I learned in one day."

Minu averted his gaze, sighing. "I don't think I can do this. I'm garbage, after all."

Tracey's own gaze grew sharper as he heard that, and the artist took a deep breath. He then placed his arms back on Minu's shoulders, locking eyes with him once more.

"Yes, you and your Trubbish aren't in the best position. You still have a beginner level strategy, and Trubbish isn't a particularly strong Pokémon, with a kinda weak movepool and very little going for it." Minu just exhaled at the confirmation of what he already knew. Then, however, he could only stare on as Tracey smiled at him. "But you two are also scrappy fighters who don't give up at any point, eager to learn, and to patch any problem that may present themselves. And that, in my opinion, is more important than any kind of physical strength. You just need to keep trying, and you will eventually make it."

The boy blinked several times, his eyes lingering over his Trubbish. "Don't try to make me feel better, I don't deserve it."

"I'm not trying to, I'm just speaking the truth." Tracey's smile widened in response. "When you try to improve, you'll always make mistake after mistake before you finally better yourself. There's nothing wrong with not being perfect on the first try."

Those words seemed to have an effect on the boy, going by how he continued to look back at Tracey. The artist turned serious before he continued. "We all dread failure, and if someone rubs our failures on us, it stings. But there are also people out there who really do want to help you out, and I like to think I'm one of them. You have a lot of potential, and I want you to reach it."

Minu didn't seem to know what to say at that as he gave Tracey a dumbfounded stare, still probably registering what he said. Tracey removed the newsboy cap off Minuetto's head and ruffled his hair.

"Plus, you aren't forced to follow my advice to the letter: I'm not a fighter, even if the observation tricks can help out in it. You're free to interpret it any way you want, as long as you're satisfied." Tracey's smile morphed into a confident smirk. "You mentioned this fire burning within you, right? Then let it loose and show me what you've got."

Those words seemed to finally click, as Minu took a deep breath and grinned back at Tracey, with just as much enthusiasm. "Thanks."

Tracey's smile widened just a bit, then he pulled himself up and dusted off his clothes, before he turned to what had now become their usual spot for training.

"Say, do you want to try again?" He placed the cap back over Minu's head. "I can go slower, if you'd like."

Minu and Trubbish shared a grin, then the boy adjusted his hat and shook his head at Tracey.

"Oh no, let's continue the way we were." He and his Poison-type pumped their fists at once. "Me and Trubbish will get it right by tonight!"

"That's great." Tracey smiled again, giving Scyther a curt nod before he focused back on Minu. "Ready, then?"

"You bet!"

And thus, both smiling at each other, artist and trainer resumed their training together, trading moves and analyzing each other's strategies. And as the boy and his Trubbish fought as one, Tracey couldn't help but grin some more.

* * *

 

As the days passed, Tracey found it easier and easier to draw again. Sure, he was still assaulted by doubts and worries at every turn, but he was actually finishing drawings again now, and while he still saw several flaws, he was more set on fixing them than despairing, especially with Minu constantly wondering what he was going to draw next or suggesting ideas whether by choice or by accident. He didn't knew how genuinely he liked his art and how much he just wanted to thank him for the lessons, but Tracey definitely wanted to live up to that enthusiasm.

And thus, as they stood by the edge of a lake, Tracey just let the pen fly over the page as he watched the local Bellossom dance on the other side, energy flowing inside him in a way he almost forgot. And then, after following him in silence, Minu spoke.

"So, why did you become an artist anyway?"

Tracey put his pen and sketchbook aside to find Minu staring curiously inches from his face, while Trubbish tried to spy the outline he had just defined. The question gave Tracey a brief pause, only to shrug afterwards.

"I don't think I could give you a big answer. Ever since I was a kid I liked being around Pokemon and drawing pictures, and things just picked up from there. Though, I guess an art book published by Professor Oak had something to do with it, too. I really loved how he portrayed each Pokémon he met in his journey, and hoped to be able to do something of that level at some point."

"So, you liked how one guy drew stuff and you wanted to be like him?" Minu tilted his head in response.

Tracey chuckled in response. "You could say that. Not very interesting, I know."

"Meh, it's understandable." Minu shrugged and let himself fall on the grass, grabbing Trubbish close to him. "Me and Trubbish decided to become trainers after seeing several cool battles here in New Tork. You should've seen the latest Central Square tournament, it was something unbelievable! There were something like thirty trainers, sure, but they were all amazing!"

And there it was, the usual mirth in Minu's eyes whenever he spoke of something he loved. And in his arms, he could see Trubbish beaming and gesturing alongside his trainer as they went on about the awesome battles they saw and enjoyed. And once more, it brought a smile to Tracey's face. "Even for a trainer and starter, you two are pretty close."

At that, Minuetto and Trubbish looked at each other and burst into laughter. Tracey just stared, until the boy turned back to him and tried to suppress his giggles.

"Sorry, it's just, me and Trubbish didn't start on the right foot at all." He prickled Trubbish's ears. "We were both trying to look for scrapes of food, and we found the same piece of bread. We were hungry and neither wanted to share, and soon we came to blows. I won, of course."

Trubbish punched him lightly on the shoulder, and Minu scratched his head. "Alright, alright, we were both passed out, and then a Sneasel dropped by and stole the bread from under our noses. We realized how stupid we were and laughed it off.

"We walked off in search of food together after that, and that's when we understood that neither humans nor Pokémon liked us that much. So, since we were both garbage we decided that we might as well be garbage together, and we've been together since."

As Minu ended his tale, Tracey sighed. "You really should stop calling yourself that. You're not that bad, I've told you a million times by now."

"Sorry, force of habit," Minu said sheepishly. "Though, that's still why we want to improve. We need to show that even garbage can put up a fight, even if we're still weak."

"I will make sure you'll make it." Tracey folded his arms. "And if that's not enough, if Trubbish ever evolves to Garbodor, you should have even more fighting chances."

At the mention of Garbodor, Trubbish sneered and bared his teeth, startling Tracey; Minu was quick to rein his Pokémon in and bow his head down in apology.

"Sorry, Trubbish had been bossed around by so many evolved Pokémon that he swore off evolution entirely." Minu scratched his cheek with an uneasy grin, while Trubbish pouted and faced away. "He wants to show he can kick everyone's butt even without being a Garbodor, no matter how hard it gets."

"Hmm, I see." Tracey turned back to Trubbish with curiosity. He had seen a lot of trainers with Pokémon that had peculiar attitudes towards evolution, but it was always something fascinating to see, and a nice reminder that Pokémon were more than just battle tools. Such instances, however, always brought along another question. "And you're alright with it?"

"Why wouldn't I? He's my friend, and it should be his choice." Minu and Trubbish smiled in tandem. "Maybe evolving him is the easier path to victory, but if that's not the same road we want to walk, there's no point to do it. I prefer hard times with happiness than easy times without it."

Tracey nodded along Minu's tale, and a familiar itch followed. He smiled as well as memories of his childhood flooded by, and the Pokémon Watcher draped over the grass to watch the sky with Minu.

"I understand how you feel, I've been in a similar boat. Everyone just kept asking me why I would want to pick drawing instead of taking a camera and become a photographer."

"Aren't they the same thing?" Minu perked his head at him.

Tracey shook his head vigorously. "Photos can be cool, but it's just a snapshot of how the Pokémon appears. An artist can really make you see a Pokémon in a completely different light, while really telling you anything a picture just can't cover. Maybe it takes a lot more to draw, but a great drawing will always be more fulfilling than any picture for me."

Minuetto didn't speak right away, not until he put his arms behind his head and gazed back at the sky. "You make drawing sound rather awesome, you know."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Tracey chuckled and rose to a sitting position, eyes back to Minu. "If you want, I can teach you to draw too."

"Nah, thanks, I'll probably suck at it anyway."

"No one starts out good. My first few drawings were absolutely dreadful, but I still kept at it, and that's how I got better. It's not so different from training, in the end."

That seemed to convince Minu to give more thought to the offer, as he rubbed his chin and squinted his eyes. And then, he shrugged. "Well, let's try it. Don't yell at me if I suck, though."

"I had no intention to." Tracey grinned as he passed Minu a spare sketchbook and pen, which the boy gladly accepted.

They spent the rest of the day going over the basis of drawings and making several practice sketches, laughing off any mistakes while pointing out how they could improve. And by the time the moon rose in the sky, Embers and doubts about his skills were as far away as possible from Tracey's mind.

* * *

 

Helping Minuetto to improve as a trainer turned out to be a much more pleasurable and fun experience than Tracey had anticipated, even discounting the various trips through the city Minu gave him as 'payment'. It was definitely a new experience, and one he'd gladly repeat. It was a shame that their time together was almost over now.

Of course, he didn't have that much time to mull that over as Scyther narrowly dodged a barrage of yellow acid bullets by sliding to the side.

Tracey frowned, and sweeped his hand through the air. "Scyther, Skull Bash!"

Scyther threw his head down and charged onward, the golden aura engulfing him. Minu bit his lip, and then snapped his fingers. "Acid Spray on the ground!"

Trubbish complied, and the entire ground ahead was drenched in the acid fluid. Scyther had to stop its race midway through, and the Poison-type slid right under his legs, grabbing them and holding the Bug-type down.

"Infestation!"

Several energy bugs materialized all over Scyther's body, sinking their fangs in: his shoulder, his legs, the base of his neck, and several other Critical Hit points for massive damage. Scyther cried in pain as he fell to his knees, and Trubbish and Minu grinned together.

Tracey frowned just a bit. "Slash!"

"Jump!"

Trubbish leapt away just as the scythe sweeped towards him, right above Scyther and ready to aim. The Poison-type and his trainer snickered together.

"And now, for the finisher!" Minu rose a clenched fist. "Acid Spray!"

Trubbish charged its attack swiftly, and then a veritable shower of acid rained all over Scyther, too fast and too intensive to be blocked. Scyther cried in pain once more, and as Trubbish landed gracefully behind him, the old warrior finally fell down, defeated.

Trubbish let out a satisfied grin, while Minu beamed and run to hug him out tightly.

"We did it! We defeated Scyther!" His smile widened even more, looking back to his partner. "You were awesome, Trubbish!"

The Poison-type laughed as the two embraced once again. Tracey recalled Scyther with a thanks and a promise of a good rest, before he turned around and focused back on Minu and Trubbish. It took them several days to truly get the hang of it, but by now it was clear he knew what he was doing. He placed his hands in his pockets and walked closer to him.

"You've really gotten good now." His eyes fell back to his trusty battler's Poké Ball. "Not many trainers are able to defeat Scyther so easily."

Mostly because he rarely if ever fought, but that would've probably ruined the compliment. For his part, Minuetto chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"Oh, come on, I'm not that great yet. I could still figure things out faster and Trubbish can probably work on his reaction times." He stared back at Tracey, holding Trubbish tight as his gaze turned serious. "What's your analysis? And be blunt."

Tracey gave a sigh of defeat, used to that question by now. He then stared back at the poison-coated battlefield, Minu and Trubbish in order, gleaning as much as he could. Then he cleared his throat, and glanced back at the boy.

"Well, you do rely on Acid Spray a bit too often. You've got a solid four move movepool at your disposal, and you two should try to be more flexible with what you have," Tracey said with arms folded.

Minu and Trubbish observed the poison all over the battlefield, and the realization clicked for them. They both looked at each other in surprise before they focused back on Tracey.

"Heh, true. Guess we got too carried over once Sludge Bomb turned into Acid Spray." Minu grinned and rubbed his neck sheepishly, though it turned out to be short lived as he gazed back at Tracey. "Say, are Marill or Venonat up to a little bit of fighting? I'd like to give a whirl to some different strategies."

Tracey grabbed their Poké Balls right away. "Sure enough."

Minu and Trubbish beamed at once as they took their place on a slightly less poison-filled part of the hill. As Tracey let Marill and Venonat out for some extra training, he couldn't help but observe Minuetto and his partner ready to fight again. He chuckled; with that attitude and his skills, he was definitely ready for his future now.

* * *

 

And soon, training day after training day, Tracey's stay in New Tork City neared its end. With only one night and one day left to it, both Tracey and Minuetto decided to spend the former together at Tracey's hotel: it wasn't a particularly large or fancy room, but it had two beds and he could probably afford a guest for the last day.

And thus, after a good shower that Minu _really_ needed, Watcher and Trainer-to-be sat on the room's beds, the first in some night clothes and the second with an oversized shirt, and sketched over pieces of paper. In the middle of the room, above a desk, Marill and Trubbish acted as models. They worked in complete silence and concentration for several minutes, and then they both put their pencils aside.

After Minu watched over his drawing, he snickered and glanced back at Tracey. "So, at the three?"

"Alright." Tracey nodded, adjusting his headband.

Watcher and Trainer-to-be looked at each other, grinned, and then counted. "Three, two, one... Now!"

Tracey and Minuetto flipped their sketches at once. Tracey had drawn a picture of Marill and Trubbish dancing together, emphasizing their round and soft features through minimal shading and a soft outline.

Minu had made a weird mess of round and straight lines, with Trubbish somehow three times bigger than Marill, which seemed to have been flattened by a car and Trubbish was cradling her dying form with no attempt to abide to spatial depth. Tracey had a hunch that it wasn't Minuetto's creative intent on display.

The two checked the other's work, until Minu gave a good-natured shrug. "Of course, you won this round too."

"You've still improved a lot." He observed the picture once more. "Plus, I have a few colleagues that would probably consider it a triumph of abstract art on the evils of industrialization or something like that..."

Minu gave another look at his drawing, crooked an eyebrow and scratched his head. "Some would call this art?"

"Trust me, there's much worse stuff than you did that is considered art in some circles."

Minu laughed at that. "No way. You artists are all weirdos if that's true... but I love weirdos like you."

Tracey rubbed his neck at the unique compliment, before he glanced back at his work: among every picture he had drawn, it was probably one of the best ones as far as craft was concerned, and maybe it was just him, but it wasn't the only thing that felt different about it, in the best possible way.

He thus went back to Minuetto as he sat on the bed and played with Trubbish. "You really helped me out these days. I really don't know how to thank you."

"Don't sweat it. You scratch my back, I scratch yours, remember?" Minu beamed, hugging his starter close. "We have to thank _you_ , if anything. You're basically the first person to not dismiss us on principle, and you gave us a lot of cool stuff. I'm glad we got to know each other."

In spite of his smile, Tracey could hear Minu's voice growing just a bit weaker towards the end, and it wasn't hard to see why. They had fun together and became good friends, sure, but there was no way Tracey could've remained with him, given his line of work.

Fortunately, that was something he had taken into account already. Tracey winked at Marill, and she scurried over to the side. Tracey then turned back to Minu, pulling off his brightest smile.

"I've got a little present for you," Tracey said, while Marill placed a sealed envelope on Minu's hands.

The boy stared at it filled with curiosity for a short while before he finally ripped it open. He grabbed the letter inside, squinting his eyes at the text, and then widening them as he realized what it was.

"No way." The happiest grin he ever had split his face as he gripped the letter tightly. "No way!"

Tracey gave him a gentle laugh while allowing himself a smug smirk. "I'm good friends with Professor Oak, you know. He accepted my reccomendation right away and forwarded it to the Oak Peace Foundation's branch here in New Tork. Tomorrow is your big day."

Minu continued to stare without words at the letter of admission for his provisional Trainer License. Then he faced Tracey, his grin dropping. "You didn't have to do this."

"Sure I had. You want to prove everyone you're more than 'garbage', right?" Tracey adjusted his posture and inched closer to the boy. "I couldn't leave New Tork without giving you the chance to do so."

Minu and Trubbish couldn't stop staring at the letter wearing matching and happy grins. Minu, however, sighed and quickly gave Tracey a concerned gaze. "I dunno how to repay you now."

"Just do your best. That's the only thing I ask."

At that, Minu's grin came back in full force.

"I will!" The boy pumped his fists to the air. Then he blushed, eyeing to the side. "Though... uhm..."

"I'll be there, don't worry." Tracey gave him a thumbs up.

Minu dropped his head, barely hiding his smile. "Heh heh, thanks."

The boy placed the letter away before he jumped up on the bed again, his grin never faltering as he eyed it with excitement. Tracey smiled back, and ripped a couple of pages off his sketchbook.

"Say, one last drawing contest before we go to bed?" he asked.

Minu grinned and stretched his fingers, pencil in hand. "Sure! I'll defeat you this time!"

Tracey and Minu shared a challenging stare as they took up their pieces of paper, and then they started drawing again, spending some time having fun before they went to sleep, both eagerly waiting the next day.

They woke up rather early the day afterwards, and after a nice shower and a good breakfast, Tracey and Minu found themselves back in front of the building of the Oak Peace Foundation before midday. They stood there for quite a bit, as Minu adjusted his newsboy cap and held Trubbish close to him. The Pokémon Watcher noticed it, and placed a hand over the boy's shoulders.

"If you don't feel confident, I can always ask the Professor to move the exam. I know this was sudden."

Minu just shook his head before he gave a contemplative frown to the building. "No, no, that's okay. I'm ready. I _have_ to be."

"Be sure of yourself, I'm rooting for you," Tracey said while offering him a thumbs up.

Minu chuckled out at that, then took a deep breath, traded a glance with Tracey and Trubbish, and then paced towards the building's door, opening it with a push as they all stepped back inside the laboratory. The first thing that caught Tracey's eye was just how absorbed in their task everyone was: no one took their time to turn to the door or even just to interrupt their work for distractions or to help the others. Every scientist was tucked in its own little niche of the laboratory, continuing with their assignments. There didn't seem to be any visiting trainers this time, and the entire building felt remarkably silent aside from the sound of steps, typing, and moving echoing all around them.

Tracey felt a slight sense of dread as he tried to look for Orchid before the head scientist found them, while Minu took once again measured steps into the lab, as if afraid to disturb the quiet and focused atmosphere, while Trubbish hopped off his arms. That was short-lived however, as he quickly righted his posture, clearing his throat, and stared ahead filled with determination.

"Excuse me, I'm Minuetto. I'm here for my Trainer License's exam," the boy said, confident and sure of himself.

The majority of the scientists stopped their tasks to stare down at the boy, checking him up in confusion. Minu gulped, and Tracey held the boy's hand for support. Judging by his blushing cheeks and how he tightened the grip, he seemed to appreciate it.

Minu sighed, his driven expression never faltering. "Who do I need to talk with?"

"As the leader of this branch of the Oak Peace Foundation, that would be me."

Tracey felt a distinct shiver running down his spine as he and Minu turned towards the nearby staircase, from where a very familiar bespectacled man was descending, adjusting his frames and staring through them. Tracey's gaze grew colder, and he could see that Minu gulped once again.

As Orchid came to a stop, he stared at Minu with a sneer, focusing on Trubbish in particular. "According to the reccomendation you got from Professor Oak himself, you proved to be good at taking care of your Pokémon, so that part of the license exam won't be covered. Having a heap of trash and a Poison-type certainly must've helped, here."

Trubbish glared at the Professor in response, and even Minu briefly squinted his eyes, only to take back a neutral expression as Orchid kept studying him.

"The Decolore Islands and New Tork City might be just a blip in the radar as far as the League circuit goes, but I won't allow any subpar trainers to obtain a license under my watch." The man folded his arms, and pushed his glasses up by the bridge. "Are you really sure you can make it?"

Minu didn't answer immediately, clenching his hand around Tracey's. He then took a deep breath and grinned with regained confidence. "Yes."

Orchid stared him down fot quite a while, only to shrug and turn to lead the way, gesturing for Minu and Tracey to follow. "Very well. I won't be too overconfident if I were you, however."

"That's my own problem," Minu said as he steeled his gaze.

Orchid only gave him a brief frown, but didn't say anything as he, Tracey and Minu strode through the laboratory and led them into a small inner courtyard, wide enough to hold about a hundred of people. At its center stood an official-looking battlefield, its white lines clearly marked over the brown terrain, and at the sides of it several interns and scientists were waiting for their arrival.

Orchid didn't waste time to walk over his trainer's box, while Minu did the same over the challenger's one, Trubbish stepping in pace with him.

"I'll be both your examiner and your opponent. You aren't mandated to defeat my Pokémon as long as you manage to show skill." The Professor folded his arms. "This is your last chance to reconsider, if you have any regrets."

"I don't." Minu shook his head, while his partner leapt over to the actual battlefield. "Me and Trubbish are ready to fight."

Orchid looked over the Poison-type with mild concern, and then palmed a Poké Ball.

"Very well then." The man furrowed his brow as he tossed the Ball. "Muk, come."

The device hit the ground, and a larger than usual Muk emerged to give Trubbish and Minu a challenging glare, towering over both. The boy and the trash bag gulped at once and froze in place.

"What, having sudden regrets?" Orchid adjusted his glasses with nonchalance. "You should've thought better before you decided you wanted this License, then."

Minu didn't have a snappy retort or potent declaration to make. Fortunately for him, Tracey stepped forward from the sidelines and frowned straight at Orchid.

"Having some anxiety is absolutely normal. I doubt Minu is the first one to react this way," the artist said.

"I'm the examiner here, Mr. Sketchit. I'd like if you could avoid stealing my job." Orchid seemed to barely hold back another sneer as he continued to focus on Minu. "Having this anxiety denotes a lack of resolve and confidence. Hallmarks of a failing trainer, before their journey even starts. Do you really think someone bound to be a failure deserves even a chance to be a trainer? The esteemed mathematician Malthus Shudo calculated that the majority of newcomer trainers would only make it to two or three Gyms in the League circuit before retiring and taking up another profession, having failed as trainers. I'm here to ensure that kind of trash doesn't even get a chance to be a trainer."

Tracey clenched his fists tight. The message was clear: in his opinion, Minu was already unworthy of becoming a trainer, and he would've made sure that didn't happen. Even if he could understand Orchid's concerns to a degree, he couldn't condone how biased and partial he was acting.

As his gaze went back to Minu, however, the rage subsided as he gave him a nod and a smile. That seemed to wash away all worries for the boy, as he pumped his fists and stared back at Muk, with Trubbish taking on a battle stance. Orchid seemed to notice it, given he placed Muk's Poké Ball aside while his Poison-type wobbled in place.

"But enough chitchat. We're here to prove if this kid can earn his Trainer License, aren't we?" The Professor pushed his glasses up, a rare grin on his face. "Let's begin, then."

Tracey gulped as Orchid, Minu and their Pokémon stared each other down. With Orchid as the examiner, gaining the license would be an uphill battle for Minu from the beginning. However, he also knew how hard Minu had trained for the last few days, and thus Tracey tried to remain calm, hoping for the best.

The boy and his examiner remained still for several seconds, each waiting for the other's move as their Pokémon held up their defenses. And then, Minu pointed ahead. "Trubbish, Acid Spray!"

Trubbish unloaded the yellow acid bullets all over Muk, who didn't even bother moving out of the way as it raised its 'arms'. The attack just stopped over Muk's slimy shape, lost in its sludge with no hint of pain.

"Bad start, you clearly don't know what type compatibilities are." Orchid shook his head, then snapped his fingers. "Muk, Mud Bomb."

Trubbish paled at the incoming giant pile of mud, and leapt out of the way; the mud proved faster, catching him to the side and knocking him down. He hopped back on his feet right away, but both Minu and Tracey could see some mud left in his eyes, which Trubbish promptly tried to scratch away.

"Looks like your Trubbish won't be too accurate right now. Muk, Double Team."

Minu bared his teeth. "Stockpile!"

Trubbish inhaled and grew in size a little, just as Muk's clones surrounded him from all sides.

"Keep at it, Trubbish!"

Trubbish continued to grow little by little, looking sturdier by the second. Orchid shook his head again.

"Using Stockpile over and over will not help you in the long run, it denotes a lack of skill. Muk, Rock Tomb."

All the Muk clones rose their arms at once, and giant rocks rained all over. Minu observed the incoming shower, and punched upward. "Acid Spray!"

The acid bullets melted through several of the rocks, disintegrating some and passing through others. Trubbish spun around and fired even faster, whittling down the onslaught piece by piece while staying in place. And then he snapped his eyes shut for the mud. The few remaining rocks slammed all over Trubbish's body, and Minu's partner fell down again. Even as he jumped back on his feet, he wheezed and panted while rubbing his injured feet. Minu, however, remained calm and squinted his eyes.

"And your speed is done for. You also haven't yet hit me. So far, this evaluation has been pretty disappointing," Orchid said with a hint of boredom.

Minu didn't appear concerned, and instead grinned and punched ahead. "Trubbish, use Acid Spray!"

Trubbish twirled around and blasted a barrage of acid bullets towards the Muk behind him. All the copies disappeared as the poison proved too much to absorb, knocking away Muk. Tracey smirked: that was why Minu attacked the Rock Tomb rather than try to dodge it. Even Orchid seemed somewhat impressed.

"Not bad, but not good, either." He lightly adjusted his glasses. "Muk, Double Team again, and Hyper Beam."

The clones of Muk surrounded right away, all charging the powerful purple beam at Trubbish. Minu bit his lip and stood his ground.

"Stockpile! Dodge it!"

Trubbish raised his defense and ducked under the barrage, several of the false Hyper Beams grazing his body as the trash bag pressed himself over the battlefield, gritting his teeth and waiting for the blasts to end.

And then the real one came.

Trubbish screamed as he flew out of the battlefield and crashed over the laboratory's wall, cracks forming on impact. The Poison-type let out a pained whine as he slid to the ground.

"Trubbish!" Minu yelled, face pale and eyes wide as he looked at his friend.

Trubbish barely managed to rise up and take some breaths, when Orchid gave yet another condescending glance. And then, he held his palm at Minu.

"Good, I think we're done here."

Minu stepped back, eyes even wider. "What?"

"You obviously proved to be a terrible trainer. You only barely landed a hit on Muk, using an ineffective move, and then scattered to the defensive without any real strategy. All hallmarks of a terrible trainer." Orchid sneered once more, then shrugged and pointed out of the courtyard. "Not that I expect much from garbage. Now get out, and don't come back until you learn how to be a trainer."

Tracey was about to give Orchid a piece of his mind, until he noticed that Minu wasn't downcast or sad, and instead stared through Orchid with fists balled and teeth bared. And that was when Tracey felt it, the fire inside Minu.

"No," the boy said, grabbing the rim of his newsboy cap.

Orchid quirked an eyebrow. "No what?"

"I won't leave. I know the rules, the evaluation isn't over until one of the Pokémon faints." Minu's eyes went back to Trubbish, which appeared almost energized as he scuttled back to the battleground.

Orchid blinked in confusion, and then let out an annoyed sigh.

"It'd be pointless to continue. You clearly have no strategy to use." Once more, he pushed his glasses up. "But if you insist, I won't back down. Mud Bomb!"

"Acid Spray!"

The ball of mud and the rapid fire acid bullets collided in mid-air, exploding on contact and coating the battlefield in mud and poison; both Trubbish and Muk tried to lunge at each other.

"Double Team!"

Once more, several clones of Muk surrounded Trubbish at close range. However, Minu still seemed calm, eyes squinted and in wait.

"That one!" Minu yelled, pointing to his left.

The blasts of Acid Spray swiftly overwhelmed the leftmost Muk and knocked it back, all the copies disappearing in thin air as it winced and rubbed its eyes in pain.

Orchid frowned. "Rock Tomb!"

Trubbish skidded out of the way of the rocks just as they crashed down, splattering around the mud. Minu's Pokémon tried to reach for Muk again, but then stopped to scratch the mud in his eyes again. Thus, Orchid seized the opportunity and sent Muk a knowing glance. "Blast him away!"

Muk complied, and immediately charged another Hyper Beam. Trubbish sprang to alert and dove to the side, only for the ray to be cancelled and for a Rock Tomb to aim straight for him.

The attack came too fast, and the rocks pelted over his body and buried him completely. Trubbish screamed in pain with every hit.

Minu flinched as he saw his partner wade his way out of the rocks, pained and injured, while Orchid allowed himself to grin.

"Looks like your lucky streak ended already." The Professor jabbed ahead. "Mud Bomb."

Minu squinted his eyes back. "Infestation!"

Many energy bugs appeared on Muk's body, and as they sunk their fangs on its slimy body, the ball of mud fell right over Muk. Orchid's Poison-type thrashed and screamed as the bugs continued to torment him. In the meantime, Trubbish had pulled off another Stockpile and his defense was at its peak, holding his stubby arms up in wait.

"Tsk, that won't help you." Orchid clenched his fists, much less collected than before. "Hyper Beam!"

Before Muk could even start charging the beam, Minu grinned. "Acid Spray! Ahead of you!"

The acid projectiles cut through the air and blasted Muk faster than he could attack, dead in the eyes. The Hyper Beam was gone, and Muk screamed in agony as the Infestation continued to hold him down, eyes closed and hands over them.

Tracey and the scientists around him didn't need an explanation for what happened. That was a Critical Hit, and Minu had discovered it. Orchid paled as his Pokémon continued to wobble in pain all over his side of the area, before his gaze shifted back to Minuetto.

"How did you...?"

Minu grinned and pointed at his eyes. "I observed."

Orchid was less than impressed at that. In fact, as he glanced back at his Muk, his expression cracked to make way for bared teeth.

"You little...!" He jabbed at Minu. "Rock Tomb! Over and over!"

Without even opening his eyes again Muk complied, tossing rocks all over the place at an erratic rhythm. As the onslaught of rock haphazardly went his way, Trubbish continued to duck and dodge as fast as it could, using the drenched terrain to his advantage to skate all over the place. And through it all, Minu never ordered any attack and simply dodged Muk's own. That felt odd for Tracey, until he noticed that in the meantime, Infestation continued to ravage Muk on his Critical Hits spots and the boy grinned through it all. Then, Minu's plan became clear.

He wasn't planning for a flashy win, but rather one by attrition. Unfortunately, Orchid understood it too, and his face contorted into an angry scowl as he punched onward.

"Muk, Hyper Beam! Now!" he yelled.

Even while unable to see, Muk was able to charge and fire the sweeping ray of destruction towards Trubbish. Minu, however, didn't lose his cool, and instead pointed at it. "Run right at it!"

Fearless, Trubbish did as his trainer asked, while everyone stared on without a clue of what Minu had in mind. And then, just as the Hyper Beam almost reached Trubbish, the trainer grinned.

"Slide!"

Trubbish ducked down and slid through the Acid Spray's remains on the floor, slipping just under the Hyper Beam. The crowd and Orchid remained speechless, but both Minu and Trubbish beamed instead.

"Now, for the final hit!" Minu pumped his fists, as the Hyper Beam ended and Trubbish hopped back on his feet right on Muk's face. "Payback!"

The twin slap came strong and powerful right on Muk's eyes, with enough strength to toss the pile of sludge over the wall. No one dared to say a word as they looked at Orchid's Muk falling back on the ground, appearing ready to fight back as Trubbish and Minu stood on guard.

And then it didn't, and Muk crashed on the floor unconscious and defeated, the energy bugs disappearing.

The referee of the match also remained wordless for a bit, before he recomposed himself and raised his arm at the boy. "Muk is unable to fight any longer. The winners are Minuetto and Trubbish!"

The kid and his Poison-type beamed once more, and Minuetto hopped through the poison and mud puddles to reach his partner and hug him tightly.

"Yes! We made it! Thanks, Trubbish!" Minu said, as Trubbish blushed and hugged him back with just as much enthusiasm.

Tracey couldn't help but grin at that; against all odds they made it, just as he knew they would. His gaze turned then towards Orchid, the man looking completely at a loss of words as he recalled Muk, confusion drawn on his face. As Minu approached him, however, his expression turned into a heavy sneer with his teeth bared.

"You showed a tremendous lack of skill in your battle. It took you way more than necessary to find a way to defeat Muk, and you never once made use of supereffective moves."

Tracey folded his arms and stepped closer. "As far as I know, defeating the examiner's Pokémon is enough to qualify one as a trainer."

"Correct. He's officially obtained his license." Orchid adjusted his glasses, his free fist balled and shaking. "But I can't in good faith say I trust this kid to be a good trainer. He's a little delinquent, after all."

Tracey was just about ready to call the Professor out of his obnoxiousness and biases, and going by the whispers of the other scientists, he wasn't alone in thinking that. Minu, however, continued to walk towards him with the brightest smile he could muster.

"I understand your issues. With the Blue Scarves around, I'd be wary of who becomes a trainer too." He placed a hand over his heart, with Trubbish doing the same. "I'll be sure not to end up like them. I'll also keep in mind everything you said, and in due time, I'll improve and become better. I'd like to fight again, once me and Trubbish will be stronger."

And without losing his smile, he offered Orchid a handshake. "Thanks for this exam. It's been quite the learning experience."

Orchid was even more at a loss at that. Maybe he hoped to provoke him into an outburst to have a reason to deny him the license, or maybe he was actually shocked that Minu was far more mature than he gave him credit for. The only thing he did was shake Minu's hand and turn around back to the laboratory with the rest of the scientists in tow, leaving Tracey and Minu alone in the courtyard.

Artist and trainer then turned at each other and shared a nod. They didn't need words to say how proud Tracey was of Minu right now.

* * *

 

Minuetto couldn't help but grin like an idiot as he kept turning around the little document that was his provisional Trainer License, with neither him nor Trubbish willing to stop gushing at it anytime soon as they walked through Pokémon Hills. There were a lot of people and Pokémon spending their day there, but the twosome paid them no mind as they basked in their little triumph.

The boy then turned around, back to Tracey, still following after them. "I really don't know how to thank you, really. I would've never got there without you."

"I only gave you some tricks. You were the one to use them." Tracey kept his arms crossed as he checked the now licensed Minu. "You'll become a very good trainer now."

"Oh, come on. I've still got a very big road ahead. And Orchid was right, I did make quite a few mistakes during the exams." The boy rubbed his neck, eyes going for the nearby lake. "He can be a stick in the mud, but I can't really dismiss him if he says something useful. It's all about how you take it, in the end."

It was rather satisfying to see the boy be much less worried and just a bit more mature about that. Tracey hastened his pace until he walked by Minu's side. "So, what do you plan to do now?"

"Well, I can't really take part in any League until I'm fifteen." The boy shrugged. "I guess I'll travel around and see the regions before to settle on what League to take on."

"A wise decision." The artist sent a glance over the Pokémon Hills' wide landscape. "Are you ready to leave, though?"

Minu's smile darkened just a bit as he cast his own glance towards one of the many parts of New Tork City he called home. His gaze travelled everywhere, from Central Square in the distance to the main building of the Pokémon Hills to even the local Sableye, who seemed to have picked up on what was going on and appeared to feel a bit sad. Minu took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes with his sleeve, then gave a firm nod.

"Every bird leaves the nest eventually." He gave another glance to his city, now with a big smile. "It's not like I won't ever return to New Tork or anything. And there are better tour guides than me, anyway."

He then faced Tracey again, arms folded and with a confident grin. "Now, though, you helped me a ton these days. What can I do to pay you back?"

Tracey didn't know what to answer right then and there, until he observed Minu and Trubbish again and an idea popped in. Something he thought about asking more than once, but never managed to do.

* * *

 

"Mr. Sketchit, you're in next."

As he strode back through the pristine white room and held Marill close, Tracey couldn't help but feel his heart racing and his body heavy. It didn't matter how much time passed, being in that room hadn't become any easier. Even moreso as he saw the judges were the same as his first time, with Embers in particular looking none too pleased at his return. Nonetheless, he sat and tried to stay calm, pulling out his next set of sketches and handing them to the judges.

"We weren't expecting to see you back so early. Most people wait half a year or so before a second evaluation," Wolfe said, grabbing one of his pictures.

Tracey afforded a brief smile. "I wasn't sure if I wanted to, but I felt like I understand what I lacked the first time."

"Those who rush into ideas only produce half-baked results." Embers' stare bore onto him, as harsh as usual. "I hope you're aware that we don't have time for that."

"I am." Tracey matched his stare with a just as serious one. "But I'll let my art speak for me."

Tracey continued to give everyone the drawings he brought until none were left, then remained in wait as they judged him. He could see, however, that all of them were taken aback by his choice of subjects.

"Huh." Chase crooked an eyebrow, observing the drawing. "This is..."

"What is this?"

Embers question was sudden and quick as he turned around the picture he held, one that showed Minu and Trubbish happily hugging each other on the backdrop of Pokémon Hills, with Sableye waving on the side, one of the many pictures he had drawn in his last day in New Tork City. Tracey expected a reaction like that, and took a deep breath.

"He's a homeless boy I've met on a trip to the Decolore Islands, who recently managed to become a trainer after several struggles. I was impressed by his bond with that Trubbish, and thought he would've made for an interesting subject."

The old art critic didn't say a word and simply gave Tracey's drawing another look. After he did so, however, he stared through Tracey once more, holding the drawing and jabbing at it with his fingers.

"This isn't art, it's an attempt at being sophisticated by trying to grab sympathy without earning it. You expect the audience to see a poor little kid and to instantly find your art deep and meaningful, while also trying for originality by featuring a Pokémon no one would like to see in art, but as a result you just obtained a boring composition that nobody would have any interest in seeing. This is just a pretentious drawing that shows you want to take the high road and seem like a deep artist rather than try to work on anything meaningful."

Tracey gulped and turned his head down, feeling old wounds reopen. However, he quickly pulled his head up, matching Embers' stare with one of his own, shaking his head.

"I understand your criticism, but that wasn't my intention. I just wanted to highlight the bond between trainers and Pokémon and how that is important for us, no matter who we are. It was a drawing about every trainer and Pokémon, trying to show the friendship that unites all of us."

"Sappy and melodramatic, too." Embers grumbled, placing the drawing aside. "Do you seriously think people will like this?"

Tracey wanted to reply, but before he could, a cough was heard. Both Tracey and Embers faced Wolfe, the woman smiling and holding another picture, this time portraying Minu and Trubbish fist-bumping right outside of the Oak Peace Foundation building.

"I think you're being too harsh, Embers." Wolfe smiled as she studied the drawing she held again. "Personally, I find the new subject and somewhat understated scenery in these pictures rather refreshing. It all feels rather mundane and grounded in a familiar way, and I think Mr. Sketchit achieves what he's going for quite neatly here. He has some room for improvement, but this is a very well-done attempt."

On the side, Chase nodded as he saw a picture of Minu and Trubbish walking through Central Square. "Yeah. I'm no fan of the Trubbish species nor their evolution, but the way this picture was drawn just highlights their appearence in a good way. The composition is also remarkably uncluttered compared to the previous picture we got, and I can tell he made sure to keep the criticism we gave in mind. It's a vast improvement from his previous submission."

Embers just blinked at his colleagues a couple of times, while Tracey held his breath in wait. And then, the man sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Outnumbered, I see. Very well."

And thus, surprisingly enough, Embers managed a small smirk behind his bushy beard, and offered a hand to Tracey.

"In that case, welcome to the Pokémon Association, Mr. Sketchit."

Tracey stood still for just a second as he heard that, until his mind had registered what actually happened and what Embers just said. He somehow suppressed a huge grin, and took another deep breath as his heart race.

"Thank you very much." He accepted Embers' hand, shaking it vigorously. "It will be a pleasure to work with you all."

He shared handshakes with Wolfe and Chase as well, before he gathered all his drawings back in his bag, excitement still coursing through his veins.

"You'll probably receive your first assignment within the week, once everything is finalized and you're officially part of the Association. For now, however, congratulations. I hope you have a good day."

"Same for you," Tracey said as he put his bag on his back, holding Marill tight to him.

He then gave the other artists a bow, and then gamboled out of the room, closing the door behind him. There he exhaled, all the tension from earlier gone as a wide grin lit up his face and he pumped his free fist, Marill beaming with him.

"Yes!" he yelled, not loud enough to be heard from the inside, but more than enough to be heard from the other side of the room.

"I trust you made it, right?"

Tracey's excitement didn't wane, but he did look back to the other end of the corridor, where a familiar Professor was walking his way. The artist tilted his head.

"Professor Oak? Why are you here?"

"What, did you expect me to miss your big day?" Oak chuckled, stopping ahead of Tracey. "I was sure you would've made it. You seemed quite energized after your return from New Tork."

Tracey nodded, eyes going to a nearby window and the hills outside the building. "It was quite a nice experience. I'm glad you allowed me to go there."

"You're welcome, you saved me a trip. Orchid is a fine scientist, but he's very disagreeable on a lot of other stuff."

"I could tell." Tracey rolled his eyes briefly.

They let the Orchid argument die as soon as it started, and Oak joined Tracey in observing the nature outside, until he allowed a sigh to escape his lips with a good natured smile. "So, looks like you're never gonna be my assistant now."

"I can still drop by from time to time. The laboratory's grounds are a prime source of inspiration with all the Pokémon there."

"That's nice to know. Feel free to come whenever you want." The Professor's smile widened as he faced Tracey once more. "Congratulations on your career jump. I hope things will only look up for you from now on."

"Same for you, Professor." Tracey nodded, then stared at the exit. "Now sorry, but I have a call to make."

"It's for that boy, right? The one you had me reccomend for a license?" Oak gave him a knowing grin, arms crossed at his chest. "I look forward to meet him eventually. The way you described him, he reminds me of one of my recent trainers."

Tracey let a grin of his own be his answer, and then he strode out of the room, holding a hand high in salute. And thus, the Pokémon Watcher left the building for the nearby Pokémon Center, ready to make his call.

It took a few beeps before the Pokémon Center's phone properly lighted up, and Tracey was welcomed by the familiar sight of a boy with a newsboy cap and a Trubbish next to him, both grinning from the other side of the screen.

"Tracey! What a surprise! How are you doing?" Minuetto asked, practically jumping towards the screen.

Tracey gave him a happy chuckle. "I'm doing well. Took me a while to pinpoint which Pokémon Center you were at, though."

"Heh, sorry, I've been region hopping some." The boy rubbed his neck sheepishly. "These small time tournaments pay surprisingly well..."

"And you didn't choose to update your wardrobe, I see," Tracey said: the boy still had the exact same pair of clothes as when they parted ways, and he was ready to bet he still didn't wear shoes either.

The boy just gave his choice of look a glance, then smirked and adjusted his oversized coat.

"Meh, I like to keep my style. It makes me stand out." He glanced back at his oversized sleeve. "Plus, it reminds me where I come from, and that no matter how bad things get, I can rise up to the occasion."

"That's a nice reminder," Tracey said. It was hard to believe this was the same boy that called himself garbage less than a few weeks before.

The boy nodded back at him, until his grin turned a bit more mischievous and the boy placed his hands on his hips. "So, tell me. Did you show Embers who's boss?"

Tracey folded his arms, matching Minu's own grin. "Well, what'd you say?"

That was all Minu needed for his grin to widen and to raise a fist in celebration, with Trubbish emulating him.

"Great job! I knew you could do it! You're an amazing artist, after all."

Tracey shook his head firmly at that. "I only made it because I had the drawings you allowed me to take."

"Nah, trust me. You could've drawn anything and it would've worked." He quickly changed his posture, trying to appear posh and dignified. "As some weird guy told me often, 'don't sell yourself short'."

That got a good laugh out of Tracey, with Marill, Trubbish and even Minu himself joining on it.

"Heh heh, alright." Tracey's laughter subsided, focusing back on the smiling kid. "I'm glad to see you're doing fine, though."

"All thanks to you, really." Minu's own smile grew just a bit dimmer as he averted his eyes. "I will never be able to repay you."

"You don't need to. But if you really need to do anything, just be the best Minuetto you can be. Help others, have fun, fight some battles, be everything you want to be. Just live your life to your fullest, and if you ever feel down, I'm just one call away."

Minu rolled his eyes at that, but the fact his grin had returned said a lot of how he actually felt.

"You're a serial do-gooder, are you?" He was the one to chuckle this time, before he inched closer to the screen once again. "Well, do know that works for me too. If you're upset or need some weird subject for a picture somewhere distant, I can try to provide."

Tracey nodded. "I'll keep it in mind."

"Next time we meet, I'll be a much better trainer and a much better artist." He jabbed at him, finger pressed over the screen as his gaze turned harsher. "So, you better not slack off, right?"

Tracey gave him a defiant grin. "I won't. And you never stop improving, either."

"Like heck I will." Minu grinned as well, then sent the artist a thumbs up. "Good luck for everything, Tracey."

"Same to you, Minu."

And with a wave on each end, the conversation ended. Tracey took a deep breath once more. It had been quite an eventful yet quiet month for him, but in the end, it had been worth everything he did. He had made a friend, helped him out, regained his creative spark and made some improvements on his own style as well. And now, he was officially part of the Pokémon Association, just like he wanted.

However, that didn't mean he could rest and feel like it was all over. That wasn't an ending, it was a new beginning. His gaze went to the bag holding all his creative tools and sketchbooks, and then to the automatic doors of the Pokémon Center. Then, with firm resolve, the Pokémon Watcher held his Marill and strode back on the road once again.

It was a brand new day, and there were still way too many Pokémon ready to be drawn. And Tracey was ready to improve even further.


End file.
